What started as a normal Jacksonville City Council meeting turned into an impromptu award ceremony.

Carmen Miracle, a 15-year City Hall veteran, was told she was the newest member of the state’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine. For Miracle, the award presentation was an emotional experience.

“I cried,” Miracle said. “I was so humbled and honored to receive this award this early in my career.”

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine was created in 1963 “to honor individuals who have made a significant impact toward creating a better North Carolina,” according to its website. Among the Award’s more than 15,000 recipients are Maya Angelou, Michael Jordan and Billy Graham.

Miracle was nominated for the award by George Barrows, a retired Marine who has called Jacksonville home for 26 years. Barrows also won the award in 1988; and according to him, Miracle fits the bill of an Order of the Long Leaf Pine winner.

“She has faithfulness,” said Barrows. “She’s faithful to the job and the state of North Carolina. She does wonderful things for the veterans … she’s my idea of what a government worker could be if they wanted to be.”

One of Miracle’s main projects with local veterans is the yearly “Veterans of the Year,” which recognizes outstanding veterans and their organizations. According to John Cooney, adjutant of the Military Order of the Purple Heart’s Beirut Memorial Chapter, Miracle makes sure every veteran nominated is recognized for their service.

“She’s easy to work with,” Cooney said. “There have been times we get nominations in late. She doesn’t have to take it, but she does anyway. She definitely deserves the award she won.”

Miracle said it was an honor to be nominated by the award by Barrows, a veteran of three wars and former Commandant of Marine Corps League’s North Carolina Department. Miracle also said that though she has a deep love and respect for our men and women in uniform, her sentiments are no different than most of the nation.

“I think the whole country feels this way about our servicemen,” said Miracle. “Being in this community, where we have lost people who are friends and coworkers because they went to war … Jacksonville has always been supportive of veterans and servicemen (in the) community.”

During her time with the city, Miracle has also worked with the United Way and served as president of the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks on top of her duties as city clerk. Jacksonville Mayor Sammy Phillips described Miracle as a diligent worker who can always be counted on to get the job done.

“If I give her something to do, I can guarantee she’s going to get it done and do it right,” Phillips said. “She’s a stickler for details and she’s enthusiastic about everything she does … she’s going to be a perfectionist in everything she does.”

Page 2 of 2 - Phillips said he — and everyone at city hall — was ecstatic to hear Miracle would receive the award.

“We were tickled to death to find out she had been recognized with this award,” said Phillips. “She’s an exemplary example of people that are dedicated public servants.”

Miracle said that at the heart of her work is a passion for her home state, a state she says is one of, if not the, best state in the nation.

“I think we have one of the most beautiful states in the union,” Miracle said. “We have it all here in North Carolina.”

Christopher Thomas is a staff writer for the Jacksonville Daily News. To contact him, call him at 910-219-8473 or e-mail him at christopher.thomas@jdnews.com.